This invention relates generally to input devices, and more particularly, but not exclusively, provides a system and method for selecting functions based on a finger feature.
Generally, conventional input keypads and keyboards only allow performance of a single function per key. For example, to display the letter xe2x80x9csxe2x80x9d on a computer screen, a user must press the xe2x80x9csxe2x80x9d key on a keyboard. In order to increase the number of functions selectable via a keyboard, a key combination must be pressed. For example, to display a capital character, e.g., xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d, instead of a lower case character, e.g., xe2x80x9csxe2x80x9d, the user must press two keys simultaneously, e.g., xe2x80x9cShiftxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csxe2x80x9d.
While the above-mentioned method may be an acceptable way of selecting functions using a keyboard, it is undesirable in small devices where space is at a premium and where it may be hard to distinguish between keys. For example, in a mobile phone, the space available for a keypad is limited. Accordingly, in order to increase the number of keys on a keypad, the keys are made extremely small thereby making it hard for a user to distinguish between keys.
To assist cell phone users when storing names and corresponding telephone numbers in the cell""s phonebook, cell phone designers have linked specific characters to each of the keys on the cell phone keypad. Users can depress a particular key multiple times to shift through characters available by the particular key. For example, to enter the name of xe2x80x9cJimxe2x80x9d on a cell phone, the user must depress the xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d key once, the xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d key three times, and the xe2x80x9c6xe2x80x9d key once. This can be quite a cumbersome process.
Another problem with conventional input devices is that, when the input devices are installed into vehicles, it is generally unsafe for an operator of the vehicle to temporarily cease viewing outside of the vehicle in order to input instructions with the conventional input device. For example, in order to operate a radio receiver, a driver of a car may cease watching for oncoming traffic thereby leading to possible safety hazards due to the driver""s inattention to traffic conditions.
Accordingly, a new system and method may be highly desirable that is generally amenable to small input devices without limiting input functionality and/or input devices that can be used without viewing the devices.
The present invention provides an example system for an input device that allows selection of functions based on a finger-type-mechanism feature or characteristic, where a single user uses several of such finger features to select between the plurality of functions. A simplest example of a finger feature is a human finger. A finger feature may include a fingerprint or a fingertip color, while a finger feature characteristic may include data extracted from a finger feature such as minutiae points.
The system comprises at least one finger feature sensor, a processor, a memory device, and an input/output (xe2x80x9cI/Oxe2x80x9d) interface, all interconnected for example by a system bus. The sensor reads a feature of finger, for example, a fingerprint, and feeds the feature to the processor. The processor executes instructions in memory for determining a function based on an analysis and identification of the finger feature. The processor then forwards an instruction corresponding o the determined function to a device for execution.
The present invention further provides a method of selecting a function using the input device based on a finger feature, where a single user uses several of such finger features to select between the plurality of functions. The method comprises the steps of receiving a finger feature from a sensor; finding the closest finger feature match in a database of finger features/characteristics and corresponding functions; and then sending a function command corresponding to the closest matched finger feature to a device for execution.
Accordingly, the system and method allows for replacing a conventional keypad with an embodiment of the present invention with fewer keys. For example, a conventional mobile phone keypad may have ten keys for the numbers 0-9. Using an embodiment of the invention would allow for replacing the ten keys with a single sensor. In the human hand embodiment, each finger of a user""s two hands would then be able to activate a different number. For example, the left pinkie finger may be used to indicate xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d, the left ring finger may indicate xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, and so forth.
In another embodiment, a dashboard of a vehicle having multiple buttons could be replaced with a single large sensor. For example, different radio presets can be controlled through a single button. Accordingly, a driver could activate different functions by pressing the sensor with a finger corresponding to function wanted, thereby eliminating the need of examining a conventional dashboard to identify the correct button to press. Further, a driver may not be able to operate a dashboard device while driving due to the inability to see buttons due to darkness. Accordingly, using this embodiment of the invention enables a driver to select functions in a dashboard device without the need to identify individual buttons in darkness.
Therefore, the system and method may advantageously allow for replacing a conventional keypad having a large number of keys with a keypad having a smaller number of keys over the same area and having the same functionality of the conventional keypad. Alternatively, the system and method may allow for reducing the size of a conventional keypad by replacing the multiple keys with fewer keys. Alternatively, the same number of keys may be able to make multiple functions available on a single depression.